"Most Talkative" By Andy Cohen

Title: Most Talkative
Author: Andy Cohen
Published Year: 2012
Pages: 273
Genre: Memoir

Enlightening and humorous all in one, Cohen knows how to pack a punch. This is his story of how he went through life which started out a closeted gay Jewish boy. I have watched Andy on Bravo many times which he is an executive of that network and have felt intrigued with him each time I watched him. I am still fascinated by the man and after reading this memoir of his, I continue to be fascinated by him.

Nothing is out of bounds in this book from him telling his nearest and dearest he was gay, travels through Europe during college and how he came to where he is in the entertainment world it is all here. I have watched the Housewives he mentions throughout the book only a few times, but after reading this I am a bit more curious about them.

His light hearted way of writing about the various things that have happened in his life make me want to go back and review some of these and look at them from his perspective which he shares in this memoir.

Witty and fun, it is worth the read and I am so glad I have fallen in love with Bravo and Andy.

"Don't Call Them Ghosts" By Kathleen McConnell

Title: Don't Call Them Ghosts
Author: Kathleen McConnell
Published Year: 2004
Pages: 255


I now understand why I started this book and then put it down. I only recently picked it up and drove myself to finishing it. I was hoping for a good ghost story, but what I ended up with is more of the author telling their personal life story with some unusual events happening during it.

Strange things seem to happen in McConnell's house that she and her family move into. When these strange things start happening, she then decides to try and investigate what is actually going on in her home and who these spirit children may actually be.

There are more things that I didn't like about this book then things I actually did like about this book. McConnell has a tendency to start down one path, then lose focus and end up on a completely different path. At times there were instances where I was wondering where I had been taken and why since the path I started on never got to its destination.

Disorganized and random thoughts is the best way for me to describe this book.

"Mortician Diaries" By June Knights Nadle

Title: Mortician Diaries
Author: June Knights Nadle
Published Year: 2006
Pages: 135

I now have a completely different look on death and how the planning of what to do with a person's remains after they die can affect their whole family and friends. This book is a real eye opener about making sure you get the things done in life that you want to and that you let the people in your life know how you really feel about them. They could be gone tomorrow and you'll never have the chance to make amends if that is what you want to do.

The author grew up on a small farm in Idaho and death was nothing out of place there. When she got older she decided to go into mortuary services school since there weren't many other options for women at that time period. She has worked in many funeral homes, both small and large ones. This book is a collection of stories that she encountered along the way. There are stories of people that plan their own funerals, to ones that the deceased parents didn't realize until it was too late that they needed to make amends with their own children.

It is very moving and touching and at times I wanted to cry, but luckily I was able to hold back. I did have to put the book down a couple times to think about the section of the book that I had just read. Don't worry about there being anything really gory in it, the worst part of that is at times there are discussions of what a body looked like after death, nothing obscene.

"When the Wind Blows" By John Saul

Title: When the Wind Blows
Author: John Saul
Published Year: 1981
Pages: 348

I'm finding a recurring theme in this Saul book and the last one I read about letting the past stay the past. In each one a closed down business is being looked into reopening it (both industrial) and each had a horrid history. Some people say its better to leave it to the past while others are looking forward to the business reopening to help out a struggling town.

As in other Saul books this also introduces superstitions of the local natives that have graced the area for longer than any other human being. In this one the legend that plays a major role is the idea of "water babies". The local Indian population would take their stillborn children and lay them to rest in a cave hidden in the area in order for them to wait until they can be reborn again.

Strange things happen in the small town that this legend is based in, and an old mine is planning on being reopened by the richest family in town. The problem? There are family secrets hidden there as well.

In a story where nothing is as it really seems, Saul takes the reader on a journey full of mystery and intrigue. There are parts that can make your stomach turn due to the actions of the characters, but like with his other books it is hard to put down once you get rolling through the pages.